Controlling unauthorized use of a firearm is a focus of various manufacturers of weapons and weapon accessories. Gun safes and various locks used on the firing system of the firearm, along with other safety devices, can prevent injury by accidental discharge or intended use by a person the owner of the firearm does not authorize. Systems of the type restricting use of the firearm can be manual, often comprising basic integrated safeties or trigger locks; or automatic, often consisting of a mixture of electronic and mechanical components. Some systems act on the firearm components which impact the primer of a cartridge containing a projectile, such as a hammer or firing pin locking system, causing ignition of the gunpowder therein. Other systems prevent the actuation of the trigger of the firearm, thereby disabling the use.
In the systems which prevent actuation of the trigger, a lock is mounted on the trigger guard or integrated into the firing mechanism and removes the primary function of the trigger, rendering the firearm disabled. Design considerations dictate whether the trigger is physically blocked from movement, or merely removed from the actuation circuit such that actuation of the trigger does not begin a firing sequence in the firearm. User authentication provides an extra level of safety to the system, giving the owner of the firearm more control over access.
Conventional trigger locking systems and “smart” firearms typically require complex integration into the firearm. As a result, the firearm is often purchased with the system installed by the manufacturer. Integration by the manufacturer can provide the most seamless integration; however, manufacturer integration is not always practical for firearms which are already possessed by the owner, or firearms that were originally designed and manufactured without a locking system. Likewise, available aftermarket systems can be cumbersome, unreliable, and difficult to install by a firearm owner or retailer.
Therefore, a need exists for a trigger locking system that can be readily installed on a variety of firearms, integrates into the firearm without detracting from the form or function of the firearm, and includes a mechanism that both reliably locks the device and enables quick and repeatable access to actuation of the trigger upon proper authentication. Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to fulfilling these and other needs.